Glossalgia
Brief description of the disease
Glossalgia refers to pain in the area of the tongue without any visible changes. Glossalgia disease is strictly secondary, that is, it is always a consequence of neuroses, liver problems, surgical interventions, but never an independent disease. Accordingly, glossalgia disappears immediately after the underlying disease is cured. Most often, problems arise in people over 40 years old, and in men, tongue pain is observed 6 times less often than in women.
Causes of glossalgia
- trauma to the tongue or mucous membrane of the oral cavity with teeth, improperly installed prostheses, foreign objects;
- disorders of the autonomic system;
- diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
- vascular lesions;
- disorders of the central nervous system;
- encephalitis;
- disorders of cerebral circulation.
According to the results of numerous studies, glossalgia, the symptoms of which are aggravated by external stimuli, affects the vagus and glossopharyngeal nerves, which leads to the appearance of false sensations. At the same time, any irritating and traumatic signs are completely absent, which often complicates the correct diagnosis.
Glossalgia - symptoms and clinical picture
Patients diagnosed with glossalgia complain of tingling, rawness, burning sensation in the tongue. Unpleasant sensations can be both periodic and permanent. The intensity of pain increases with spicy food intake and under the influence of some other external stimuli. So, for example, symptoms almost always increase after overwork and stress. If, during the diagnosis of glossalgia, treatment is delayed for any reason, then the symptoms of the disease progress steadily, leading to constant dry mouth, bulimia, alimentary weight gain, and rapid fatigue during a conversation. Overweight problems are caused by the fact that glossalgia disappears for a short time after eating, so people tend to eat immediately when pain occurs.
Burning sensation and discomfort usually appear on the lateral zones of the tongue, occasionally on the root and back of the organ. Note also that glossalgia does not have a clearly isolated lesion, so the localization of unpleasant sensations may change. Sometimes glossalgia goes away on its own, but more often patients still need medical attention.
As we said above, changes in the oral cavity and mucous membrane of the tongue are completely absent. In very rare cases, patients show slight swelling, or plaque on the surface of the tongue. In older people, glossalgia is accompanied by varicose veins.
Glossalgia can also be detected by some indirect signs. In particular, a sick person often begins to fall into depression and suffers from excessive excitability, anxiety, and suspiciousness. He also pays increased attention to small things and loses his temper on the most insignificant reasons.
Due to changes in the mental state, many patients refuse the help of doctors or practice the treatment of glossalgia with folk remedies, forgetting about the recommended therapeutic procedures. This is an incorrect approach, since the disease we are considering signals more serious problems in the body, and therefore an untimely setting of the correct diagnosis often leads to serious consequences and complications.
Glossalgia - treatment of the disease
First of all, doctors should perform a complete mouth sanitization. The patient must be examined by a dentist, who, if necessary, replaces incorrectly installed prostheses and corrects the height of the bite. At the same time, measures are being taken to normalize the patient's mental state. This can be helped by tranquilizers, bromine and valerian preparations, trimecaine blockade of the lingual nerve, injections of vitamins. Glossalgia, which is treated with blockades, goes away much faster, so in recent years they are used more and more often.
If the pain is too severe, patients are prescribed local anesthetics, applications, and oral baths. In this case, preparations based on herbal raw materials will be especially effective, however, the treatment of glossalgia with folk remedies should still be carried out under the constant supervision of doctors. We also add that physiotherapeutic procedures and acupuncture are good for the unpleasant symptoms of glossalgia.
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The information is generalized and provided for informational purposes only. At the first sign of illness, see your doctor. Self-medication is hazardous to health!
